"A Rui could run all over the mountains and plains when she was very young, and she even learned hunting from her father.
She became even more capable as she grew up. She was strong and agile.
One year, she even brought back a hunted wolf and secretly gave its teeth to the young master of the Bao family."
For the old peach tree, these memories were the proof of its existence.
Without them, it was just a peach tree.
The golden figure on the tree dug its ear, seeming to think that whether it was a person or a tree, they were all the same when they reached a certain age.
Long-winded.
Uh...
He suddenly remembered someone, who was also so fond of nagging.
Could his master be going through early menopause?
...
As A Rui grew older, her height also shot up, even surpassing her brother's by a bit.
Compared to the frail appearance of the young master of the Bao family, she appeared even more towering.
A Rui could take on ten such young masters without breaking a sweat.
Night fell.
After the lights in the village were extinguished, A Rui jumped onto the wall and imitated the chirping of a grasshopper:
"Jiji~ Jiji~"
Soon, there was a slight stir from inside the house.
Immediately after, the young master of the Bao family sneaked out.
A Rui jumped down from the wall and squatted in front of him. "Quick, get on. I'll take you to see the wolf I hunted."
"Okay."
Under the moonlight, young Master Bao, with a blush on his face, climbed onto her back.
A Rui, carrying him on her back, leaped onto the wall and quickly ran towards the mountains.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was as light as a swallow.
"A Rui, how are you so strong?"
"It's in my nature." A Rui thought for a moment and said,
"You should eat more meat too. Eating more meat will make you stronger and taller."
"Really?"
"Yes!"
A Rui first showed the wolf to young Master Bao. Bao Yan, who had never seen a real wolf before, trembled.
The wolf was so fierce, and there was so much blood...
"Here, take the wolf's teeth. My father said they are good things."
A Rui directly pulled out two sharp teeth from the wolf, wiped them casually, and placed them in Bao Yan's palm.
Bao Yan swallowed and carefully wrapped the teeth in a handkerchief, tucking them into his sleeve.
"Let's go, we're going to eat peaches!"
A Rui directly scooped Bao Yan up by the waist and, before he could react, ran off.
...
Sitting on the branches of the peach tree, Bao Yan looked down, his legs feeling weak.
When A Rui looked at him, he smiled with a pale face,
"A Rui, it's so high here. This is the first time I've sat on such a tall tree."
"Is it?"
A Rui found a comfortable spot to sit, then turned back and bared her teeth.
"This is the tallest tree in our village. Even my father says it's amazing that the peach tree grew so strong."
Below.
The peach tree couldn't help but subtly move its branches, steadying Bao Yan.
It thought to itself, with this kind of interaction, it was a wonder that the young master of the Bao family wasn't scared away.
The sky was full of stars, and a gentle breeze blew.
The sweet scent of peaches wafted through the air.
A Rui plucked a large peach, wiped it casually, and handed it to Bao Yan.
"Eat it, it's delicious."
Bao Yan looked at the peach in his hand, was silent for a moment, and then suddenly said,
"A Rui, I'm going back in a few days."
"Where to?"
"Back to my other home."
A Rui paused, looked up at him, "Will you come back?"
Bao Yan nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes. My wet nurse said I'll be coming of age this time. When I'm an adult, I can go wherever I want."
A Rui swung her legs, "Then I'll wait for you to come back."
"Okay!"
...
"After young Master Bao left, A Rui would come to the peach tree every day and look in the direction of the village entrance," the old peach tree said slowly.
"Did he come back?" the golden figure on the tree asked.
"No. A Rui waited for a long time, but he didn't return, so she ran off to find him herself."
"That's more like it. If you want something, you have to go after it yourself."
A Rui quietly packed her bag and left at night.
Before leaving, she left a note she had prepared at home.
Transportation was not convenient back then.
A Rui finally found the Bao family's residence, only to see white mourning streamers hanging everywhere.
Passersby tutted, "This young master of the Bao family is so pitiful, dying so young."
"Alas, I heard he was always frail and was raised in a manor for a long time."
"If you ask me, the eldest young master of the Bao family is not easy to get along with either, perhaps..."
"Hush, don't speak carelessly, be careful the Bao family members come out and scold you."
A Rui grabbed a woman carrying a basket of vegetables and asked blankly, "The young master of the Bao family, you mean Bao Yan?"
The woman glanced at her, "I think that's his name. Who are you to him?"
"No, it can't be..."
A Rui asked the Bao family servants, but they ignored her and told her not to cause trouble.
In her urgency, she barged into the Bao family, "Where is Bao Yan? Where is Bao Yan?"
With Bao Yan's frail body, could he have been bullied after returning?
But, these were all his family members...
How could he die?
How could he die?
He had clearly said his health had improved and he would come back to find her after coming of age.
The Bao family's butler exclaimed, "Who is this wild girl? Get her out of here!"
"Guards!"
"Get out of the way, I want to see Bao Yan!"
"Quick, stop her, don't let her disturb the eldest young master!"
In an instant, the Bao family was in chaos.
Seven or eight adults pinned A Rui down, but she still managed to break free with her brute strength.
"I want to see Bao Yan!" She didn't believe anything these people said!
Unless, unless she saw Bao Yan's tomb with her own eyes, saw his body!
However, when A Rui looked up,
She found all the Bao family servants looking at her in terror.
More accurately, they were looking at her blue eyes and the blue patterns appearing on her face.
"It's a monster, it's a monster—"
"A demon has entered!"
"Help—"
...
"Blue patterns?"
The golden figure on the tree paused its peach-eating, thought carefully.
"Ah, I remember. That child is a half-human, half-demon hybrid."
He scratched his head, "When I picked her up, she even scratched off some of my golden fur. She was so strong."
"But I remember I sealed her demonic power."
Strange...
"What happened to that little girl later?" the golden figure asked.
The old peach tree closed its eyes, "She was recognized as a demon, and people feared her, dreaded her."
"They tricked her to Bao Yan's tomb and surrounded and killed her."
"..."
The figure on the tree was silent for a moment.
The old peach tree sighed, "By the time Bao Yan heard about it and rushed over, it was too late."
"Didn't Bao Yan die? Did his soul return?" the golden figure found it strange.
How could this old peach tree tell such a story, with such a twist?
The old peach tree: "He died, but he didn't die."
"Bao Yan knew his elder brother was worried about him fighting for the family inheritance. As long as he was alive, this matter would not cease. So he prepared to fake his death and leave the Bao family."
"He planned to return to the village to find A Rui after the dust settled."
He just didn't expect A Rui to come looking for him at this time.
Even more so, he didn't expect her to be a demon.
People feared her, were afraid of her, and harmed her.
And buried her outside the city.
"Young Master Bao witnessed A Rui's death with his own eyes and passed away a couple of days later," the old peach tree said.
"After he died, for some reason, he came to me."
…………